Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mata Utu and Noumea

For one person, living is cheaper in Noumea: $2,410 a month against $5,241 in Mata Utu, rent and utilities included – about $34,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Noumea
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Noumea Living Index

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Mata Utu

🇼🇫 Wallis and Futuna

$5,241

/mo nomad

Noumea

🇳🇨 New Caledonia

$2,410

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mata Utu and in Noumea

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mata Utu and in Noumea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $5,241 per month in Mata Utu vs $2,410 in Noumea, rent included.

Mata Utu $5,241
Noumea $2,410

A couple spends around $6,656 per month in Mata Utu vs $3,800 in Noumea, rent included.

Mata Utu $6,656
Noumea $3,800

A family of three spends $8,071 per month in Mata Utu vs $5,190 in Noumea, rent included.

Mata Utu $8,071
Noumea $5,190

Mata Utu costs about 118% more than Noumea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Mata Utu and Noumea sit above the global median – Mata Utu by 291%, Noumea by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.06 CFPF 1,176

$20.86 CFPF 2,220

-46.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 CFPF 11.8K

$114 CFPF 12.1K

-2.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.85 CFPF 1,474

Cappuccino

$7.68 CFPF 817

$4.68 CFPF 498

64.10%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CFPF 610

$2.01 CFPF 214

185.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 CFPF 350

$1.27 CFPF 135

159.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.50 CFPF 1,011

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CFPF 590

$7.26 CFPF 773

-23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CFPF 125

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 CFPF 381

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 CFPF 230

Eggs

$6.13 CFPF 653

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.21 CFPF 3,215

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.65 CFPF 2,942

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.19 CFPF 3,000

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 CFPF 487

Banana (1kg)

$7.29 CFPF 776

Oranges (1kg)

$6.27 CFPF 668

Tomato (1kg)

$7.98 CFPF 849

Potato (1kg)

$5.55 CFPF 591

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 CFPF 411

Lettuce (1 head)

$11.17 CFPF 1,189

$4.04 CFPF 430

176.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.43 CFPF 471

$1.50 CFPF 160

195.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.77 CFPF 1,784

$19.46 CFPF 2,070

-13.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 CFPF 1,776

$17.03 CFPF 1,812

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 CFPF 590

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.62 CFPF 491

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 CFPF 741

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 CFPF 119

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.46 CFPF 2,284

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 CFPF 194

$1.63 CFPF 174

12.27%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.5K CFPF 3.5M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.3K CFPF 4.0M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$145 CFPF 15.4K

$205 CFPF 21.8K

-29.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$112 CFPF 12.0K

$44.24 CFPF 4,707

154.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3,335 CFPF 354.8K

$48.09 CFPF 5,117

6834.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.48 CFPF 5,158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 CFPF 878

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CFPF 1,517

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$759 CFPF 80.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,318 CFPF 991.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$220 CFPF 23.4K

$111 CFPF 11.9K

97.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$91.5 CFPF 9,736

$65.0 CFPF 6,912

40.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$228 CFPF 24.3K

$100 CFPF 10.7K

127.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$283 CFPF 30.1K

$247 CFPF 26.3K

14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 CFPF 95.5K

$761 CFPF 80.9K

18.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 CFPF 97.1K

$761 CFPF 81.0K

19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,238 CFPF 238.1K

$1,520 CFPF 161.7K

47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,282 CFPF 242.8K

$1,349 CFPF 143.6K

69.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,777 CFPF 508.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,453 CFPF 367.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 CFPF 355.2K

$2,726 CFPF 290.1K

22.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mata Utu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Noumea: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mata Utu

–

Noumea

$761 31.9%

Groceries & Markets

Mata Utu

–

Noumea

$646 * 27.1%

Eating Out

Mata Utu

–

Noumea

$340 14.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mata Utu

–

Noumea

$297 12.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Mata Utu

–

Noumea

$236 9.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Mata Utu

–

Noumea

$77 3.2%

Getting Around

Mata Utu

–

Noumea

$31 * 1.3%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Mata Utu versus $761 in Noumea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Mata Utu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in Mata Utu versus $114 in Noumea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $131 vs $646 – making Mata Utu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇼🇫 Mata Utu

🇳🇨 Noumea

🕒 Local time

19:06 7:06 PM

18:06 6:06 PM

1 h behind Mata Utu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,200 Capital

91,386 Capital

💱 Currency

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Mata Utu Noumea 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Mata Utu
Noumea

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mata Utu vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $5,241 in Mata Utu, $2,410 in Noumea – roughly 118% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,862 per month in Mata Utu and $3,614 in Noumea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Noumea, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in Mata Utu and $114 in Noumea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $5,241 in Mata Utu and $2,410 in Noumea. That's a gap of about 118%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Noumea, where all-in costs run around $2,410, than in Mata Utu at $5,241. In Noumea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mata Utu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Noumea has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,410 in Noumea to $5,241 in Mata Utu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Noumea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mata Utu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.